Technical Books > Computers > Internet, Blogs etc

How Blogs, MySpace, YouTube and the Rest of Today's User Generated Media are Killing Our Culture and Economy In today's self-broadcasting culture, where amateurism is celebrated and anyone with an opinion, however ill-informed, can publish a blog, post a video on YouTube, or change an entry on Wikipedia, the distinction between trained expert and uninformed amateur becomes dangerously blurred. Keen argues that much of the content filling up YouTube, MySpace and blogs is just an 'endless digital forest of mediocrity', which, unconst... read more

The Internet Age: on the face of it, an era of unprecedented freedom in both communication and culture. Yet in the past, each major new medium, from telephone to satellite television, has crested on a wave of similar idealistic optimism, before succumbing to the inevitable undertow of industrial consolidation. Every once free and open technology has, in time, become centralized and closed; as corporate power has taken control of the 'master switch.' Today a similar struggle looms over the Internet, and as it increasingly supersedes... read more

Against the Machine is a fascinating look at how the Internet is reshaping the way we think about ourselves and the world. Siegel explores how the internet affects culture and social life, particularly the psychological, emotional and social cost of high-tech solitude. Arguing that the internet's widespread anonymity eliminates boundaries and encourages otherwise polite people to be downright abusive, Siegel discusses the half-fantasy, half-realism of online personae. By experiencing virtual selves rather than other individuals, we... read more

In "The Future of the Internet: And How to Stop It", Jonathan Zittrain explores the dangers the internet faces if it fails to balance ever more tightly controlled technologies with the flow of innovation that has generated so much progress in the field of technology. Zittrain argues that today's technological market is dominated by two contrasting business models: the generative and the non-generative. The generative models - the PCs, Windows and Macs of this world - allow third parties to build upon and share through them. The non... read more

This is a revelatory expose of Google and its ambition to become the controller of 'all the world's information'. "Planet Google" explores the profound implications of that strategy for the business world, and for us all. Google has a dream: to manage the entire world's information. The company wants to access every single bit of it it can - from news, to financial and historical data; from the content of books, films and TV, to a complete record of the Earth's surface; and most controversially, the statistics of our personal lives... read more

The Rough Guide to Blogging is the ultimate reference for all things weblog. It takes you into the blogosphere, from blogging's early history and where it is today, to the future of blogs and their social and cultural impact. This book will help you to discover the greatest blogs on the web and to understand newsreaders and RSS. Whether you want to start your own blog or contribute to an existing one, this guide will teach you everything you'll need to know. Chapters include: Creating a Blog, Blog Design, Advanced Blogging, ... read more

How ordinary people become famous. Everyone gets a shot at the spotlight. Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has been a hub for users to upload and share their most interesting, intimate, exciting, or embarrassing moments with viewers all over the world. But how does one take advantage of YouTubeas far-reaching resources and get a video seen? Here, Hollywood producer Frederick Levy addresses the interests and needs of the casual YouTube user as well as the serious web enthusiasts and video-makers who are looking to explore YouTube a... read more

Once there was no text messaging. No email and no social network sites like Facebook, Bebo and MySpace. The way we live has apparently been transformed by new ways of communicating. But where did these trends start? And if they can change our behaviour, can they also change the way we think? In Cyburbia James Harkin describes how the architecture of our digital lives was built over seventy years. In a brilliant narrative that encompasses the work of crackpots, inventors and visionaries, it shows how a concept that began with the ne... read more

In an age of overwhelming Internet competition, we all face the daunting challenge of understanding how to engage customers online. In "Digital Engagement," online marketing pioneers Leland Harden and Bob Heyman team up to show you how to leverage search engine optimization, affiliate marketing, and all of the Web 2.0 tools you need to compete in the digital marketplace. Filled with the latest advice on maximizing online marketing efforts, plus the lowdown on social networking, virtual worlds, widgets, wikis, and emerging media, Di... read more

Why do some sites pop to the top when you search? How do you make yours one of them? You create sites that make search engines happy - that's what search engine optimization is all about. "Search Engine Optimization For Dummies" has been the leading resource on how to make that happen, and this third edition is completely updated to cover the newest changes, standards, tips, and tricks. This handy guide shows you how to get more visitors by getting more visibility for your Web site. Find out which search engines matter most, what t... read more

In "The Future of the Internet: And How to Stop It" Jonathan Zittrain explores the dangers the internet faces if it fails to balance ever more tightly controlled technologies with the flow of innovation that has generated so much progress in the field of technology. Zittrain argues that today's technological market is dominated by two contrasting business models: the generative and the non-generative. The generative models - the PCs, Windows and Macs of this world - allow third parties to build upon and share through them. The non-... read more

In one short decade, the internet has become a critical part of our everyday lives. In this timely new book, internet data analysis expert Bill Tancer makes sense of why this is, and explains what our internet usage says about us and our future! In Click, Bill Tancer takes us behind the scenes into the massive database of online intelligence to reveal the naked truth about how we use the web, navigate to sites and search for information; he describes in unmatched detail explanations about our lives, our interests, our thoughts, our... read more

When it comes to copy, what works in the brick - and mortar world does not necessarily grab Web consumers...and with new developments like social networks, blogs, and YouTube, the strategies that worked even a few years ago, are unlikely to grab people's attention today. Completely updated for the current online marketplace, "Web Copy That Sells" gives readers proven methods for achieving phenomenal success with their online sales and marketing efforts. Featuring updated strategies for communicating and selling in the continually e... read more

The Stranger's Long Neck is a practical guide for any manager wishing to improve their organisation's online performance. Web content specialist, Gerry McGovern, explains that all websites have a small set of tasks, or 'long necks', that are important to its customers and that must be easy to complete or customers will go elsewhere. The Stranger's Long Neck shows how to tune in effectively to what your customers want - and then deliver it with aplomb. Understanding customer needs can be a difficult task when customers are 'strange... read more

In this book, leading search optimization expert Rebecca Lieb brings together more than 50 absolutely crucial facts and insights decision-makers must know to drive more web traffic through better search engine placement. The Truth About Search Engine Optimization doesn't deliver abstract theory: it delivers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information and plain-English explanations that executives, decision-makers, and even small business owners can actually use, no matter what kind of sites they're running, or what their goals are... read more

The only guide for the small business owner to create a revenue-enhancing website that lets them compete with the abig boys.a Award-winning website consultant Lori Culwell demonstrates how to create a website that will increase sales and generate repeat customers on a small business budget. Not just another agraphic design for the weba book, Culwell offers invaluable insider advice on what it takes to build a high-profile website, including dozens of guidelines to avoid the pitfalls of bad usability, with invaluable tips on: a[ En... read more

Jeff Howe coined the word 'Crowdsourcing' in a 2006 article for "Wired" magazine to describe the way in which the Internet has broken down traditional employer/employee relationships to create vibrant new enterprises that are 'staffed' by informal, often large gatherings of enthusiasts. A few weeks before the article hit the news-stands, a Google search for the word 'Crowdsourcing' returned zero results. One month after the article appeared, the same search returned nearly 500,000 hits. These days anyone and everyone can write book... read more

A woman loses her phone, and recruits an army of volunteers to get it back. A dissatisfied airline passenger spawns a movement with her web log. Citizens with camera-phones are more effective than photojournalists at documenting the London Transport bombings. The world's largest encyclopedia is created by unmanaged participants. A handful of kids in Belarus create a political protest the state is powerless to stop ...Everywhere you look, groups of people are coming together to share with one another, work together, or take some kin... read more

Based on real-world case studies and interviews with experts at Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and other top search engine companies, this book reveals how to exploit technical Web marketing tools to reach customers and increase sales.

Becoming an effective IT manager presents a host of challenges--from anticipating emerging technology to managing relationships with vendors, employees, and other managers. A good IT manager must also be a strong business leader. Contents: Part 1: Our Hero Called to Adventure Chapter 1. The New CIO Chapter 2. CIO Challenges Chapter 3. CIO Leadership Part 2: The Long Road of IT Trials Chapter 4. The Cost of IT Chapter 5. The Value of IT Chapter 6. Project Management Chapter 7. The Runaway Project Part 3: The Management Ordeal ... read more